Grants Help Businesses Improve Accessibility

More businesses across the province are investing in improvements to their establishments, making them more accessible to persons with disabilities.

Kevin Murphy, MLA for Eastern Shore, on behalf of Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leo Glavine, announced that 24 businesses throughout the province will receive $580,000 under the Business ACCESS-Ability program to cost share accessibility-related improvements.

Mr. Murphy made the announcement today, Oct. 16, as part of Small Business Week at Paddlers Cove in Dartmouth.

“Nova Scotians from one end of the province to the other depend on our businesses to access goods and services,” said Mr. Murphy. “Everyone has a role to play in making our province more accessible and it is encouraging to see leadership from the business community to make their premises more inclusive and welcoming to persons with disabilities.”

Funding supports improvements such as removing physical barriers, providing accessible communication and information, accessible shuttle transportation and education and training programs.

Stillwater Property Development Inc., which owns Paddlers Cove, received $108,484 to make significant changes to the Paddlers Cove building to make it accessible.

“With full support of local residents and the business community we took on the ambitious renovation project to revive a landmark property on beautiful Lake Banook,” said Edwin Marmont, CEO of Stillwater Property Development Inc. “The Business ACCESS-Ability program has had a significant impact on our ability to fully lease the commercial property to 21 individual small and medium-sized businesses.”

Improvements include more accessible parking, sidewalks, entrance ways, second floor access and signage and will ensure the building is accessible for building tenants, their employees and customers.

The Business ACCESS-Ability program is still open to applications.

“With 20 per cent of our population having a disability, it makes business sense to have access to that market,” said Gerry Post, executive director, Accessibility Directorate, Government of Nova Scotia. “Persons with disabilities don’t walk or roll alone, if one includes direct family members we’re talking over 500,000 Nova Scotians.”

The Business ACCESS-Ability grant program supports government’s efforts to achieve an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030. Government recently released the province’s strategy for accessibility, Access by Design 2030 which identifies priorities to achieve the goals set out in the Accessibility Act.

A full list of Business ACCESS-Ability grant recipients and more information about the program are available at:
https://cch.novascotia.ca/business-access-ability-grant-program .